Gas-meter leak-detector.



T. LUCAS. GAS METER LEAK DETECTOR. MPLICATION HLM; mmm, 1911.

. fhig lUNITED sTATEs PATENT oiEroE. A

JOHN THOMAS LUCAS, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR 40F ONE-HALF' T0 L. F. BI'JYLER,l 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GAS-,METER LEAN-DETECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMAS LUCAS, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minne- Sota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Meter Leak-Detectors, of which the following is a specification.

For the purpose of detecting a leak` in the gas pipes around the burners at the time the gas meter is installed, it is the practice of the person making the installation to make a careful observation of the indicator representing feet on the dial of the meter to see if it changes its position when the burners are all shut. To ascertain Whether this indicator is affected by a leak of the gas itis necessary to Watch it for a considerable time, usually about fifteen or twenty minutes.

The object of my present invention is to provide an attachment for Aa meter which will enable the person making the installation to ascertain within a comparatively short space of time whether or not there is any gas passing through the meter when the burners are closed.

My invention consists generally in an indicator hand mounted on a moving part of the meter mechanism, said hand being plainly visible and being instantly affected by a leakage of the' gas.

`In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front view of a meter embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a view of the upper portion of the meter, the wall being broken away, showing the operating mechanism, `Fig. 3 is a top view showing the mechanism actuated by the passage of the gas through the meter and operating the indicator hands.

ln the drawing, 2 represents the ease of the meter having intake and discharge pipes 3 and 4. `Within this ease is the usual apparatus affected by the pressure of the gas for operating the indicating mechanism. This apparatus forms no part of mv present invention and I`have not thought it necessary to illustrale'it herein.

5 and 6 represent rock shafts connected with the diaphragme, not shown, in the case of the meter, and oscillating arms 7, and 8 are pivotally connected at 9 and 10 with links 9 andv 10 extending to pivot 1l. This pivot is connected by` a crank arm 1l with a spindle 12 which operates the valves Spe'cication of Letters Patent. Pate-nigga July 30, 1912, Application tiled June 19, 1911. Serial No. 634,057.

contained in a box 13 and is provided with a W'orrn'14 engaging a pinion 15 mounted .on a shaft 16. A

box 17 contains gears driven from the shaft 16 and connected with the indicator hands. These hands are visible through a transparent pla'te 18 mounted on the front of the casing. All this mechanism is common to meters as ordinarily constructed and I make no `claim to the same herein.

Mounted on the rock shaft 6 is an arm 19 and an indicator 20 carried by said arm, and is movable back and forth in front of the dia-l 21. This shaft will be rocked if there is a passage of gas through the meter and its slightest movement will be transmitted to the indicator hand 20 and operato it also. The person installing the meter can thus, at a glance when the connections have been made, ascertain if there is any gas passing through the meter when the burners are closed. If there is, the indicator hand 20 will be moved and the letters on the dial in the rear of the hand will en-- able the observer to instantly detect the slightest change in the position of the hand. It' there is any movement whatever he will know that there is a leakage in the piping in the house or building or at the burners and the leak having been detected can be found and closed before enough gas has escaped to cause an explosion.

I claim as my invention 1. rlhe combination, with a meter casing having dials` and indicator hands therefor and an operating mechanism arranged to revolve said hands, said mechanism including an' upright rock shaft. located near said -dials and a secondary indicator hand connected with saidlrock shaft to move with the rock i'ng of said shaft, said secondary indicator hand moving at a greater speed in a given time than said first named indicator hands,

whereby a slight movement of said operatnig mechanism arising from a leakage of gas in the systennvwlll produce a plainly visible n'iovenxent of said secondary indicator.`

2. The combination, with a meter casingy having dials 'and indicator hands therefor -and an oierating mechanism arranged to revolve said hands, said mechanism including an upright rock shaft located near said dials, an arm mounted on said rock shaft l and a secondary indicator hand connected visible movement of said secondary indiwith said arm and having a reciprocating Gator. i0 movement, said secondary indicator hand n witness whereof, I have hereunto sot operating at a greater speed in a given time my hand this 17th day of June 1911.

5 than 'said rst named indicator hands, JOHN THOMAS LUCAS.

yvhereby a slight movement of said operat- Witnesses: 'ing mechanism arising from a leakage of GENEVIEVE E. SORENSRN,

gas in the system Will produce a plainly CATHnnINn H. REHFUSS. 

